Author: Wes Reinke

125 Years Ago: From the Nov. 3, 1898 Scott County Argus

Owing to failing health Mrs. C. M. Nachtsheim has decided to retire from the millinery business, and she is offering her entire new stock for sale at a bargain either at wholesale or retail. The best stock of millinery goods in the city is thus thrown upon the market at greatly reduced prices. Ladies should take note of this at once, as it will be first come, first served. Bend her advertisement in this issue.

100 Years Ago: From the Nov. 1, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

Old Landmark is Razed During Week

The old building, which was originally built and used as a blacksmith shop by Nick Heger on the present Chas. Schultz property across the street from the stock fair grounds, has been torn down during the past week. The building was one of Shakopee’s old landmarks.

75 Years Ago: From the Oct. 28, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Girl Scout Troop Will Be Organized

Plans are gradually taking shape to organize a Girl Scout troop in Shakopee under sponsorship of the PTA.

Four Shakopee ladies have volunteered their services as leaders and will go to Minneapolis in the near future to take a three-day leader’s training course. They are Mrs. Norman Kue, Mrs. Jos. Kelery, Mrs. Frank Strunk and Mrs. John A. Thole.

Each leader will have an assistant who will meet weekly with the young girls at the high school. These meetings will start as soon as the leaders have completed the training…

As far as known, three divisions will take care of the girls: the Brownies from 7 to 10, and two groups of 11 to 14 year olds.

Miss Mary Sampson has also volunteered her services and will be Mrs. Kelery’s assistant.

50 Years Ago: From the Oct. 31, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

Kawasaki begins building in Valley Industrial Park

Commissioner James R. Heitser has announced that a Japanese company has advised the state department of economic development that it has begun construction on a $1.3 million research and development center for small internal combustion engines in Shakopee this fall.

Heitser said Sergi Yamada, General Manager of the Engine Division of Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., has informed him that the plant is being constructed on a 55-acre site in the Valley Industrial Park.

The center will develop and test engines for exclusive distribution to Arctic Enterprises, Inc., a Thief River Falls snowmobile and leisure products manufacturer, as well as other Kawasaki products for the recreational field…

125 Years Ago: From the Oct. 27, 1898 Scott County Argus

The work of laying a new cement walk along the north side of Second street, from Lewis to Holmes, is progressing, and the walk will probably be thrown open to the public by the end of the present week. Smoothly laid, of uniform width, and exact as to grade, the two continuous blocks of cement stone pavement laid by Ring & Fischer present a most substantial and pleasing appearance, and appeal to the eye at once as one of the marked improvements of the season. Another year should see cement sidewalks so popular with the Shakopee populace that there will never be any question, when a new sidewalk is needed, as to the material to be used.

100 Years Ago: From the Oct. 25, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

Sewing Classes Organized Here

About twenty ladies of Shakopee and vicinity were present at a meeting held at the City Hall yesterday afternoon to organize classes for the free course in sewing and making clothing, offered by the Agricultural Extension Service of the University of Minnesota, through the co-operation of the Scott County Farm Bureau…

75 Years Ago: From the Oct. 21, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Retirement of Ball Lights Stock Seen

That the Shakopee Recreational Association Inc. is in a position to retire all of the $12,680 worth of stock authorized for the lighting of Riverside baseball park was disclosed Tuesday night in reports made to the Shakopee Commercial club by J. A. Metcalf, state amateur baseball tourney chairman, and Judge F. J. Connolly, president of the Recreational association.

Exceeding the “wildest dreams” of even the most enthusiastic supporters of the lighting project, the detailed reports showed a net balance of $14,832.67 on hand at the end of the baseball season—more than enough to cover the outstanding stock certificates…

50 Years Ago: From the Oct. 24, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

Council finally sells buildings on MVRP land

The Shakopee city council met Tuesday night and finally settle the matter of the metal buildings on the Minnesota Valley Restoration Project land.

The city owned the buildings and had promised to remove them, although the Historical Society had hoped they would be gone last summer.

A single bid on the buildings was received Tuesday from James Hauer of Shakopee who offered $250 for the three buildings and agreed to remove them by March 1 of next year. The council accepted his bid.

25 Years Ago: From the Oct. 22, 1998 Shakopee Valley News

Scout Barn comes down

After using it for training during the week, Shakopee firefighters Saturday morning burned the old Boy Scout Barn, which sat on land owned by the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC), and was next to the women’s prison. The barn, which dates back to the 1920s, formerly housed dairy cows and was used by Shakopee Boy Scout Troop 218 for meetings and storage space since 1965. When the DOC asked that the barn be moved off state property so the prison could expand, Scouts unsuccessfully tried to raise the money needed to relocate it.

125 Years Ago: From the Oct. 20, 1898 Scott County Argus

Jos. Roth, who has been employed as a cooper in the shop at this point for ten or twelve years past, has given up that line of work, for the present, at least, and will try “railroading.” He went to St. James, Tuesday, to accept a position as brakeman on a freight train. All who know Mr. Roth personally are well aware that his diligences and capacity for work merit success, and his many friends wish him well in his new field.

100 Years Ago: From the Oct. 18, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

Miss Helen Theis has been transferred from the local Telephone office to the new toll office. Miss Theis has been chief operator in the local office for a number of years, and during this time the service has been unsurpassed. The best wishes of the local public accompany Miss Theis to her new position.

75 Years Ago: From the Oct. 14, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

See Reformatory Adapted to Use of Youth Program

Conversion of the state reformatory for women here into a screening center for juveniles under the Youth Conservation commission will depend upon action that might be taken by the state legislature when it meets next January, it was learned this week.

It has been known for several months that the reformatory has been under consideration for use in connection with the youth program, but no definite action or decisions have been reached.

Carl Jackson, director of the state public institution was quoted as saying that there had been considerable talk about the reformatory being put at the disposal of the YCC and moving the woman inmates to another location. The present population of the reformatory is reported to be 43 women.

If the proposal is approved by the legislature that body will have to provide facilities for the women, it was explained.

50 Years Ago: From the Oct. 17, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

School Board plans land purchase vote

Shakopee school district voters will decide on the purchase of 20 acres of land as a potential site for a new junior high school Nov. 20.

The Board of Education plans to put a $150,000 bond issue to the voters on that date.

Final arrangements for the bond issue were decided at the board meeting Monday night.

The bond issue covers only purchase of the land and related costs, and the board has no specific details on the future plans for a school to be built on the site if the bond issue passes. School Board president Bob Mertz noted, however, that if the vote is successful the board would immediately begin planning for a bond issue for a new junior high.

25 Years Ago: From the Oct. 15, 1998 Shakopee Valley News

Monument move was ‘making amends’

Correcting a wrong that dates back nearly 45 years, the city of Shakopee moved the granite monument honoring military veterans from atop a Native American burial mound in Veterans Memorial Park last Thursday afternoon.

The ceremony was a time for the current city officials to make amends for the errant placement of a flagpole and granite memorial in Shakopee’s war dead back in 1954…

The ceremony included the Sisseton Wahpeton Color Guard from Sisseton, S.D., comments from state Archaeologist Mark Dundalk, remarks by Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota Community Vice Chairman Glynn Crooks and a blessing by Gary Cavender, the tribe’s spiritual leader. A large crane then lifted the granite monument and flagpole base off the cement slab, loaded it onto a truck for the short drive to a new cement base slightly west of the burial mound. Shakopee City Administrator Mark McNeill said the old concrete slab will be covered in dirt and maintained. Breaking up the slab and removing it would further disturb the burial mound, he said…

125 Years Ago: From the Oct. 13, 1898 Scott County Argus

The best bit of news of the week comes to us just as we go to press. Flaherty & Lies will erect a big two-story business block upon the site of their store, the work to be begun at once. The firm has rented the Condon store, next to Segelbaum’s, and will commence moving to their temporary quarters the first of next week.

100 Years Ago: From the Oct. 11, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

Rademacher and Kirkeby New Business Partnership

Peter Rademacher and Victor Kirkeby, two well known young men of this city, have formed a partnership in the plumbing, heating and sheet metal business, which the former recently purchased from M. L. Neubeiser. The new firm will continue to do business at the old stand in the Henry Mergens building on First street.

Both young men are able and reliable workmen and are deserving of the support and patronage of the community. The new firm will be welcomed into the business circles of the city.

75 Years Ago: From the Oct. 7, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Drop Plans for Electric Power Plant

Terminating for the present at least, the consideration of a municipally owned electric power generating plant, the city council Thursday night entered into a new energy contract with Northern States Power company.

The new contract, abrogating the one in force for the past seven years, is to run for 10 years from date of signature and according to authorities will effect a substantial annual saving in the cost of energy purchased by the city.

Although a lower rate clause goes into operation under the new agreement, the contract imposes a higher demand charge, provides for adjustment to meet increased costs of fuel used in generating electricity and calls for a 5% penalty for late payment of monthly bills. Previously a discount was allowed for prompt payment.

50 Years Ago: From the Oct. 10, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

School Board will try to purchase county land

Negotiations for the sale of 20 acres of land owned by Scott County to the Shakopee School Board continued this week.

The school intends to build a school on the land, located south of Tenth St. near Co. Rd. 17, if bond issues are successfully passed. Formal plans for a new school first hinge on the district’s purchase of the county land, which is likely to go before local voters around the end of November…

Proceeds from the land sale have already been earmarked for use in construction of the new county courthouse.

25 Years Ago: From the Oct. 8, 1998 Shakopee Valley News

Justice Center to open for court on Oct. 19

Court will be in session in the new Scott County Justice Center on Oct. 19 as the new $12.2 million facility is opened for daily activity…

125 Years Ago: From the Oct. 6, 1898 Scott County Argus

Results of the work of the two long gravel trains which have been running through town a dozen times a day since the steam shovel was put in place at the nearby purchased gravel pit on the old Gifford farm, are quite apparent, now, even in the outskirts of town. The track has been built up on a fine bed of gravel, and the grades have been evened up for long distance. The change in the grade has spoiled many road crossings, some of them being quite impossible. But these will no doubt soon be fixed by the pathmasters of the different towns. Another improvement in the railroad is the straightening of the track. The slight curves have been taken out, at the expense in some cases of a complete change in cut or embankment. At a point near Blakely a new track has been laid for a comfortable distance, thus cutting out two bad curves in the old rack. All this will add to the comfort and safety of the patrons of the road, and enable the trains to run on faster schedules.

100 Years Ago: From the Oct. 4, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

J. J. Schaefer Received Mail Route Assignment

J. J. Schaefer received notice from the Post Office Department at Washington, D. C., last Thursday that he was the successful aspirant for the position of rural mail carrier out of the Shakopee post office which has been open for the past year or more. This vacancy was originally brought about through the illness of Herman Logenfeil, who had been carrying on Rural Route No. 1 for many years.

Since Mr. Logenfeil’s retirement the position of rural carrier on Route Number 1 has been filled by R. L. Brown. Mr. Schaefer will take up his duties as carrier on this route October 15.

75 Years Ago: From the Sept. 30, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Lutherans Begin New Parish House

Construction of a new parish house for St. John’s Lutheran church got under way this week with the excavation of the basement area.

The 1 ½ story frame structure will include a full basement and seven rooms. It is being erected on block 8, block 7, on East First street across the street from the church.

50 Years Ago: From the Oct. 3, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

The first day of Metropolitan Transit service to Shakopee went okay, according to Glenn Peterson of the MTC. The red express bus designated 35-J picked up eight local riders Monday morning and returned with three that night. Peterson, an MTC supervisor, said the numbers were satisfactory for the buses first run and added that he expected more commuters to Minneapolis would soon be taking advantage of the service.

125 Years Ago: From the Sept. 29, 1898 Scott County Argus

G. S. Lander is planning to put a fine cement pavement, similar in construction to the one now surrounding the Argus block, in front of the opera house block. The work will begin in the early spring. At that time he will also have laid along the front of his residence property a walk of cement stone, similar to the one now being laid in the residence district by Ring & Fischer.

100 Years Ago: From the Sept. 27, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

Shakopee to Have New Business Enterprise

A new business enterprise is being established in this city and will go into effect Monday, October 1, when Scherkenbach’s Hardware and Electric Supply will open its doors for business to succeed the Scherkenbach Electric Shop.

The new enterprise will be located in the same stand in the Post Office building as was the Electric Shop, and will be conducted by George M. Scherkenbach as formerly. However, the store has undergone complete renovation and has been greatly enlarged. The work of installing new shelving and show cases is progressing rapidly and is nearing completion.

The new store will carry in addition to the splendid line of electrical appliances always on hand, a large and complete stock of hardware, also a fine line of radio sets and accessories. The new stock arrived here this week and is being arranged at the store, where all will be ready for the opening next Monday, October Market Day…

75 Years Ago: From the Sept. 23, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

State Baseball Tourney Crowd Record Shattered

All previous State Amateur Baseball tournament attendance records were shattered when 34,263 paid admissions passed through the gates during the nine-day event staged in Shakopee Sept. 13-19. The total topped by 5,927 the mark set at Mankato last season, association officers disclosed.

50 Years Ago: From the Sept. 26, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

New sign officially designates Lions Park

Lions Park came one step closer to completion when a four by twelve foot mahogany sign was erected at the entrance to the park with the following inscription: LIONS PARK – WE SERVE. The sign was placed on the site following a council resolution passed August 28, designating an area east and south of the swimming pool as Lions Park.

The Shakopee Lions Club started developing the park area two years ago when an agreement was reached with the city that the area could be developed into a park and named Lions Park if the club members were willing to take over the project. At that time the Lions hired a contractor to landscape the area, and planted approximately 200 trees and shrubs.

When the park is completed, it will provide picnic area for Shakopee residents and visitors. The park is designed to provide semi-secluded picnic areas for individual picnickers as small hills have been landscaped in along a shelter and restrooms.

A large sliding hill is also part of the park area which will provide an off-the-street area for the youngsters to enjoy this recreation in the winter months.

Money for development of the park has come from the proceeds of several Lions Club projects…

125 Years Ago: From the Sept. 22, 1898 Scott County Argus

Of the 88 papers written by Shakopee High school pupils last spring, in the State examinations, all but 13 passed. Nine of the 13 were written by pupils of the 7^th grade, and the other four were from the class in English composition. The examination in this branch, Prof. McBee informs us, was so difficult that failures were the rule all over the state. In any event the result of the work done in the school as evidenced by the returns from the state examining board is highly creditable to both teachers and pupils.

100 Years Ago: From the Sept. 20, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

Telephone Office to Open Sunday

The new Tri-State Toll Office will open for business next Sunday, September 23, at 7 A. M. at their office on the second floor of the M. J. Berens store building.

The work of arranging the rooms and installing boards and other fixtures has been under way for several months and at present the office is completely equipped and will be ready for operation Sunday morning. The toll work for the southern part of the state will be taken care of at this office instead of being handled in the offices of the twin cities.

Miss Rutherford of St. Paul is in charge of the office and is engaged this week in giving instructions to eight local ladies who will be employed there. However these ladies will not have charge of the boards until thoroughly competent. Eight experienced operators will arrive from the twin cities and will begin work Sunday morning.

About thirty or forty men will be at work Saturday in cutting and connecting wires to have everything in readiness for the opening of the new office.

75 Years Ago: From the Sept. 16, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Shakopee Park Setting for NCA Pictographs

National Coaches association, nationwide organization of college and high school athletic coaches, began work here Saturday morning on a series of baseball photographs.

Dica Siebert, University of Minnesota baseball coach and Shakopee first baseman, is directing the work for the coaches association. In addition to the Shakopee picture, Siebert said that more pictures for the series will be made at the University. From the photographs slides will be made, sets of which will be available to all coaches of colleges and high schools in the United States for use in demonstrating the fundamentals of the national game.

Local players in Shakopee uniforms backgrounded against the Riverside playing field were photographed here, and Siebert said the set of slides to be made would be known as Shakopee, U.S.A., representative of baseball-minded towns the nation over.

Siebert was delegated by the national body to compile the series, an appointment which indicates the respect with which the popular first basemen is regarded in the athletic world.

50 Years Ago: From the Sept. 19, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

Courthouse construction should start in February

A representative of Fasch, Erickson, Madson, Inc., architects of a new courthouse recently approved by county voters, appeared at Tuesday’s County Board of Commissioners and indicated that construction of the building is scheduled to begin in early February and conclude in early April, 1975.

Donald M. Erickson told the County Board that his firm is now ready to begin work on the interior designs for the new building. All plans for the structure should be drawn up by the end of December, he said, with bids for construction to be taken during the month of January.

Erickson told the County Board that the 14-month projected completion date is a rough estimate, and that it is possible that the building could be completed in 12 months or less.

125 Years Ago: From the Sept. 15, 1898 Scott County Argus

Ring & Fischer, of the Shakopee stone works, announce that they have secured contracts for cement sidewalks along the north side of Second street, for two solid blocks, from the post office to the Fred Scherkenbach residence. Dr. H. P. Fischer will have 3 ½ lots paved, E. L. Welch has ordered 50 feet, Mrs. Pauline Heidenreich and Mrs. Peter Mergens will also have the cement blocks, and Fred Scherkenbach has ordered 120 lineal feet, in addition to a walk inside the grounds. They have also contracted for a walk 65 feet in length for Nic Heger, which is to be laid with cement curbing. Then too, they have taken the contract for forty yards of walk and cement steps at the Theodore Weiland residence. The work of laying the cement along Second street will be begun at once and pushed to rapid completion. The improvement will be very marked, and it is to be hoped that it will prove such a fine advertisement for the cement paving that board walks will be relegated to the receding past where they belong.

100 Years Ago: From the Sept. 13, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

Work was begun last week on a new five room, story and a half residence for Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dellwo and family. It will be a frame structure, lumber is being furnished by the Simons Lumber Co. Mr. Dellwo is doing the work and expects to complete it this fall.

75 Years Ago: From the Sept. 9, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

898 Pupils In City’s 3 Schools

Breaking all previous first day enrollment figures, 898 pupils were registered in Shakopee’s three schools as the institutions opened Tuesday, school authorities disclosed.

The total was 55 above the 833 registered on the first day of school last year, which up to that time was the highest of record, it was learned…

Late registrations, additions of new families to the community and transfers to from other schools may push the total for the three schools close to the 1,000 mark before the term is many weeks old, authorities said.

50 Years Ago: From the Sept. 12, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

Courthouse proposal passes 2-1

A proposal to construct a new Scott County courthouse was approved by Scott County voters by greater than a 2-1 margin Tuesday in a light turnout at the polls.

Vote totals on the bond issue were 2,124 for, 968 against.

Voters in each of Shakopee’s four wards overwhelmingly approved the bond issue, while in other areas, such as Savage, Sand Creek, New Market Village, Elko and Blakely, the proposal won out by narrow margins…

125 Years Ago: From the Sept. 8, 1898 Scott County Argus

The firm of Reis Bros. Livery has dissolved partnership, Val Reis having bought out his brother Henry. The business will be continued as before, at the same stable.

100 Years Ago: From the Sept. 6, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

The Henry Hentges home on 4^th street is being raised onto a new foundation and undergoing other changes. The house will be stuccoed and new porches will be added. When complete, it will be a very attractive residence.

75 Years Ago: From the Sept. 2, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Argus-Tribune Office Now on First Floor

For the convenience of its patrons the Argus-Tribune has moved its offices to the first floor in the building formerly occupied by the Huth barbershop on Lewis street.

The move eliminates the necessity of climbing the steps to the offices that for many years were on the second floor of the building.

Space made available by the move will be utilized in improving the printing and publishing plant.

50 Years Ago: From the Sept. 5, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

Tight money stalls shopping center plans in Shakopee

Indications are that a $3 million shopping center, for which ground was previously scheduled to be broken around Aug. 1, may not be in this area’s foreseeable future.

Ray Williams, president of Jacksondale, Inc., developers of the proposed center, said last week that project promoters have not been able to find “acceptable financing” for the project, and that construction has therefore been …

Williams said he is unable to predict when construction of the center, which was planned for a 124-acre tract of land immediately southwest of Shakopee on U.S. 169, could begin. He said it would be “as soon as interest rates drop.”

Planners envisioned the center as the location of both regional and locally owned retail stores, a movie theater, motel, restaurant and lounge and bowling alley. The proposed site for the center was moved to its present location when local residents’ objections cause the Shakopee Planning Commission to reject an initial plan to build the center south of Tenth Street in Shakopee.

125 Years Ago: From the Sept. 1, 1898 Scott County Argus

H. P. Marx has decided to close out his stock of Watches, Clocks, Jewelry, Silverware, and the China at auction. The stock is of the highest quality and every article has his personal guarantee. See his ad. on first page.

100 Years Ago: From the Aug. 30, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

Business Transfer to Take Place Saturday

John Czaia, who recently purchased the shoe repair shop from Fred Wessel, will take possession Saturday and continue business at the same stand.

Mr. Wessel conducted this business for seven years and has been very successful. Mr. and Mrs. Wessel and family will leave Saturday for New Ulm where they will reside in the future…

75 Years Ago: From the Aug. 26, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Flees Institution for Eight Hours

An inmate whose identity was not disclosed wandered away from the state reformatory for women here about 5 a.m. Saturday but was back in the institution at 8 p.m., J. P. Wermerskirchen, sheriff, said.

The girl, it was explained, had been working in the fields near the reformatory when she made the break for freedom. She finally made her way to Holmes street bridge and was near the north end of it “thumbing” a ride when she was picked up…

50 Years Ago: From the Aug. 29, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

Industrial revenue bond proposal for Certainteed examined by city

A proposal to use industrial development revenue bonds for the Certainteed plant in Shakopee was brought before the city council Tuesday night.

Certainteed asked the council to consider giving its name to the revenue bond issue for a million dollars so the company could purchase additional equipment and water and fuel storage tanks at the plant site…

The matter will be taken up again at a future council meeting.